Anything You Want

[darkveggie]

It's not that I have nothing to write. I actually have buttloads. I'm just letting things sink into the sandbox of hindsight and perspective before I load it into the earthmover of posterity and publicity

Comments

[lilaznangel]

1. is it nice to be known as "john shen the math genius," or is it sometimes difficult to be boxed into that title and expected to live up to all that it entails?

2. if you had one year off before going to college, what would you do with that time?

3. if you could have one secret wish granted, what would you ask for?

[darkveggie]

1) I won't lie or obfuscate - most of the time, I feel like I hate it. It's basically penance for the wonderful opportunities and successes I've enjoyed in high school, because every silver lining has a cloud. Living up to the title is annoying, but somewhat inevitable and self-reinforcing, so I don't really care. That's because I couldn't care less if I didn't live up to the title, if I fall short of anyone's expectations or visions of myself, because, hey, that's not really my problem anyway. The worse aspect is being "boxed in", so much so that I miss out on other drives and interests. I have *so many examples* of "this" that I could probably drive myself crazy remembering all of them, "this" being the conflict between something to boost my "genius score" and something that I want to do or experience MORE. I usually choose the latter

[liljetai]

1. hm, i like the first question of the person before me. is it hard/frustrating or do you feel you have no need to live up to your name?
2. when did you come to see Christ?
3. can i steal this? =P (i really didnt have much to ask... i'll think of some another day)

[darkveggie]

1) The copout answer is that it depends, but mostly no, no need. Over the years, I've actually thought about this problem less and less. I remember what Amanda Hsiung, an acquaintance, told me one day a year ago, while we were hanging out watching guys' volleyball - "You know what, John? You shouldn't be so uptight, just because you think you have to be serious because you're like, 'I'm smart.'" It's much better when I'm with people that I know and that know me, so that I'm not 'expected' to 'live up' to anything, really. But around people that I've just met, and that know my reputation, it can be hard. In general, as in performance/life/competition, I've won and lost enough competitions to not be very pressed about stuff like that. And as a segue, I try to remember this passage whenever I am pressured when I'm in a real competition (like Sci-Bowl) -> "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss, for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:7 (from memory

[jwzhu]

1) If you were part of a microcosm (of society and...) stranded on an island, what would best describe your contribution to the group?

2) If you had a nickname that reflected on the most exciting event in your life, what would it be?

3) What is your biggest regret and if you had the chance to relive the instance, would you fix it or would you let the natural path run?

I hope to get some concrete answers here :)

[darkveggie]

Man, I actually have to be creative? What's with that? >:-}

1) Microcosm of society, stranded on an island, I would most definitely be the professor from Gilligan's Island. NOT. I'd be the guy who finds things, because it's actually something I can imagine myself doing for a long time. It's kinda fun, like an Easter Egg hunt. To use another popular culture analogy, I'd be like Red from the prison in The Shawshank Redemption - "I'm the man that knows how to get things." I just think that Morgan Freeman is infinitely cool and so is his character. I would just scrounge up stuff from the island, kinda caveman-like, cracking coconuts on bird skulls to get some milk. Maybe I'd draw in the sand in my spare time

[lilaznangel]

ahhh john everyone asked you but you're not answering!!! =(

[darkveggie]

the reason i'm not answering is because I am at Caltech. Caltech is fun, but I am very tired.

[mooncircus]

I may actually come back when you've answered those people up there; they have some interesting questions I'd like to see opinions on.

1) Do you love math? Why?
2) What makes you so devoutly Christian?
3) What do you envision yourself doing in twenty years?

[darkveggie]

Out of all three, as a set, I like your questions the best